Scholars have inferred for decades that Shakespeare used the plots and characters of his theatrical works to comment on the current political climate of the English monarchy at the time. . In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, persecution by the government was common practice. Additionally, persecution for treason was also a viable possibility for those who spoke ill of the royal family through any means. For this reason, it would have been imperative for Shakespeare to protect himself from these consequences if he were to convey his views on the monarchy through his writings. To do this, Shakespeare would have to allegorize his writings through various writing techniques. These methods are clearly displayed in Hamlet. Shakespeare uses the characters and plots of Hamlet as an allegory for the political events of the time. By setting the story far from Denmark, Shakespeare is able to comment on the current political climate while protecting himself from persecution. Hamlet's relevance to the monarchy in England and other European powers is evident throughout the text and depicts a clear view of the disloyal and vindictive tendencies of European monarchs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Shakespeare's motivations behind writing in this allegorical and enigmatic manner are revealed through his political and religious views. During Shakespeare's lifetime, Queen Elizabeth I banned Catholicism. Although it is widely believed that there is no conclusive evidence to define Shakespeare's religion, Shakespeare actually confessed his Catholicism on his deathbed: "'He dyed a papyst.' Davies, an Anglican clergyman, could have had no conceivable reason to misrepresent the matter in these private notes and, as he lived in the neighboring county of Gloucestershire, he may be echoing a local tradition. (Thurston). Shakespeare's conflicting religious views are said to have led to his great contempt for Queen Elizabeth and his condemnation of Catholicism. Forced to practice in secret and hide his faith for fear of persecution, Shakespeare is said to have harbored great resentment toward the government that banned his religion. Moreover, his ability to express this resentment was stifled by strict censorship laws. Shakespeare would have been prevented from publishing anything that explicitly spoke ill of the monarchy. The similarities and possible connections between Hamlet and actual political events in the English monarchy at the time are undeniable. The plot of Hamlet revolves around the implications imposed on the royal family due to an extremely unethical king and his weak and feeble wife Gertrude. Queen Gertrude is depicted as a character who contributes greatly to the tragedy of the play. She incestually remarries her recently deceased husband's brother in an attempt to retain her title as queen, a relationship that is even implied to have once been adulterous. Claudius' sinister plan seems ignored, if not aided, by Gertrude herself. The demise of this noble family is fueled by Gertrude's inability to prevent Claudius' evil actions and Hamlet's descent into madness. Shakespeare clearly states his views on female monarchs through the use of Gertrude. Shakespeare explicitly expresses his opinion on women in this play, stating: "Frailty, thy name is woman!" » (Hamlet, Act 1 Scene 2). By using the character of Gertrude, Shakespeare implies his disapproval of theQueen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth's reign was controversial in the same way as Gertrude's. Gertrude struggles to retain the throne after her husband's death, a contributing factor to her marriage to Claudius, her brother. Queen Elizabeth also faced a similar problem: “If she entered into a marriage alliance with a European prince, England would be lost. On the other hand, if she died childless, the threat of civil war and a new change of religion loomed. To maintain her political power, Elizabeth would have to remain single; but to keep England safe, she should marry. (Lavery). While Gertrude's sexuality and duty as queen are greatly questioned in Hamlet, those of Queen Elizabeth are also scrutinized during her reign as queen. Queen Elizabeth was constantly forced to balance her feminine sexuality while maintaining a façade of masculine power in order to be taken seriously as a leader. While Queen Elizabeth ruled effectively for the vast majority of her reign, she was sixty-eight when Hamlet debuted in 1600. By this time, her appeal as a young woman had waned and her political views were beginning to change. be called into question. Towards the end of her reign, Queen Elizabeth had to capitalize on her femininity and “use her image as a sexual woman to maintain her political position” (Lavery). In contrast, in Hamlet, Gertrude also struggles with issues of sexuality in order to retain the throne. Hamlet debuted three years before Queen Elizabeth's death, and there is a close parallel between these two political structures which both pose the problem of an aging queen whose sexuality has implications for her status within the monarchy. Shakespeare uses Gertrude to express his opinion about Queen Elizabeth. Shakespeare clearly believes that Queen Elizabeth is a weak and weak-minded queen who uses her sexuality to further her political gains. If Shakespeare had written like this about Queen Elizabeth in one of his historical plays, he would surely have been executed for treason. Because of this, Shakespeare must transfer his view of Queen Elizabeth to a fictional queen in Denmark in order to avoid any consequences for conveying his opinion. The theme of revenge is a driving force in Hamlet; All of Hamlet's actions are justified by his intense and insatiable need to avenge his father. His need for revenge as well as his inability to respond to these impulses indirectly leads to the death of each character. Coincidentally, revenge was a common theme in the monarchy of the time. Before the rise of the Tudors, a practice called "vendetta" was common among families. A blood feud is a private act of revenge in which violence is acceptable regardless of the legality and culpability of the offender. The act of vendetta allowed individuals who believed they had been wronged to take revenge or avenge others without state intervention. However, Queen Elizabeth later banned the practice of blood feuds to assert state power over such individual freedoms. With the monarchy acting as a judicial body, the act of vendetta becomes obsolete. However, this justice system was often corrupt and ineffective in preventing the violent tendencies so deeply rooted in their people. In the plot of Hamlet, there is a clear struggle between action in the form of a blood feud, juxtaposed against the context of a government, and therefore legal family. Even though Hamlet is technically part of the group that would demand that individuals refrain from vendetta and instead refer to his own family for judicial deliberation, he believes that>.